Darjeeling is a town and a municipality in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located in the Lesser Himalayas at an elevation of 6,700 ft . It is noted for its tea industry, the spectacular views of Kangchenjunga, the world's third-highest mountain, and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Darjeeling is the headquarters of Darjeeling district which has a partially autonomous status within the state of West Bengal. It is also a popular tourist destination in India.
Darjeeling can be reached by the 88 km long Darjeeling Himalayan Railway from New Jalpaiguri, or by National Highway 55, from Siliguri, 77 km away. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is a 600 mm narrow-gauge railway that was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999 for being "an outstanding example of the influence of an innovative transportation system on the social and economic development of a multi-cultural region, which was to serve as a model for similar developments in many parts of the world", becoming only the second railway in the world to have this honour.
Famous Food:
Due to the varied mix of cultures in Darjeeling, the local and ethnic food of Darjeeling is also quite varied. Rice, noodle and potatoes seems to make the dominant part that's because that suits well with the cool climate in there. The most popular local snack food is Momos, a steamed dumpling containing meat or vegetables cooked in a doughy wrapping and served with clear soup and achar.
Trekking in Darjeeling If you love to trek and enjoy the nature, don't miss out on one of the many unbelievable treks in Darjeeling hills. There are routes offering stunning views of the mountains, forests and wildlife. There can be light treks over few days with 4-5 hours of walk a day that even casual walkers can undertake, or heavier treks for several days over mountain landscapes that offer fabulous experience. Where else in the world can you get a vista of four out of five highest peaks of the world in one stretch of snow, or get to see exotic rare animals like Red Panda, or view flowering plants like rhododendrons, magnolia, carpets of primula and over 600 varieties of orchids? I have been to such fascinating treks
Darjeeling Tea No discussion of Darjeeling is complete without a discussion on its Tea. After all this is what had originally placed Darjeeling into the world map. During my numerous trips, I have been to many tea gardens and estates in Darjeeling, seen the tea production processes, and had tasted tea at their outlets. Depending on the quality, Darjeeling Tea can range from Rs. 700/- a kg for regular black tea to well over 50,000/- a kg for white organic tea.
Places to Visit:
Singalila National Park Located at an altitude of approximately 2134 meters above sea level the Singalila National Park is situated in the highest regions of West Bengal. The park is known for its amazing peaks and the panoramic views of the lesser Himalayas. The National Park is famous as a trekker’s paradise with a large verity of mountainous vegetation, fauna, and birds. The wildlife includes rare and endangered species like the Red Panda, Black Bear, Leopard, Tigers, Clouded Leopard, Serow, Leopard Cat, Barking Deer, Yellow-throated Marten, Wild Boar, Pangolin and Takin.
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park Known for its famous Red Panda and Snow Leopard breeding program, the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park is spread in an area of 67.56 acres. The zoo is located at an average elevation of 2,134 meters above sea level and is the largest high altitude zoos in India. Some of the rare and endangered species in the zoo are snow leopards, red pandas, Himalayan Salamanders, Tibetan wolf, Himalayan mountain goat and Siberian tigers.
Tiger Hill One of the most famous peaks in Darjeeling can be reached either by jeep or by foot which transverses through some of the oldest tea plantations in Darjeeling. The place is best known as a trekking destination and its peaks offer some of the most marvelous views of the Kanchendzonga and the monolithic Mt. Everest.
Batasia Loop can be visited when the famous ‘Toy Train’ makes its way across a looped track that transverses through some beautiful parks. The place is famous for housing a Gorkha war memorial and while in the toy train you can witness a 360 degrees view of Darjeeling. The loop covers an area of 50,000 square feet and transverses spirally into tunnels, landscaped parks and hillocks in this 1,000 feet high descent. The local crafts market located nearby is a must visit.
Happy Valley Tea Estate Spread across a massive area of 437-acres, and situated at an elevation of 2,100 meters above sea level, the Happy Valley Tea Estate is one of the major tourist attractions in Darjeeling. The place is located amidst some of the most breath taking surroundings in India. It also houses one of the highest tea factory in the world and was established in 1854 by an Englishman and was later taken over by an Indian aristocracy from Hoogly.
Neora Valley National Park Spread across a massive 88 square kilometers, the Neora Valley National Park is one of the richest biological zones in the north-east. The Neora Valley National Park is famous for housing one of the largest populations of Red Panda in India. The park was established in 1986 and is a home to several endangered and rare species of flora and fauna.
Transport:
By Airways: Bagdogra Airport is the nearest air connection which is 96 kilometres away from Darjeeling. Many carriers like Air India, Jet Airways, Spice Jet, Indigo, Go Air run direct flights from Delhi, Guwahati and Kolkata to Darjeeling. Delhi and Kolkata airports are well-connected with international cities across the globe. Now, few international cities like Bangkok and Paro also have direct flights via Druk Air airlines. Once you reach at the airport, you can hire a taxi or share a cab to get to Darjeeling, which will take you around 3 hours.
By Train: The Darjeeling railway station is administered by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railways (DHR). The nearest railway station in Darjeeling is at New Jalpaiguri (62 kilometres from the main town) which connects major Indian cities like Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar and Cochin. The DHR Toy Train service starts at New Jalpaiguri and will get you to Darjeeling at a speed no faster than 30 miles per hour. It takes 7 hours and halts at Batasia Loop from where passengers can take photographic shots of Mt. Kanchenjunga.
By Bus: The regular bus service from Siliguri (which is approximately 70 kilometres away) to Darjeeling is quite slow but economical. Similar bus services are also available from neighbouring towns like Kurseong and Kalimpong which is 31 and 50 kilometres away respectively. Even Gangtok city runs daily buses to Darjeeling; however, we suggest taking a shared cab instead.
Darjeeling can be reached by the 88 km long Darjeeling Himalayan Railway from New Jalpaiguri, or by National Highway 55, from Siliguri, 77 km away. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is a 600 mm narrow-gauge railway that was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999 for being "an outstanding example of the influence of an innovative transportation system on the social and economic development of a multi-cultural region, which was to serve as a model for similar developments in many parts of the world", becoming only the second railway in the world to have this honour.
Famous Food:
Due to the varied mix of cultures in Darjeeling, the local and ethnic food of Darjeeling is also quite varied. Rice, noodle and potatoes seems to make the dominant part that's because that suits well with the cool climate in there. The most popular local snack food is Momos, a steamed dumpling containing meat or vegetables cooked in a doughy wrapping and served with clear soup and achar.
Trekking in Darjeeling If you love to trek and enjoy the nature, don't miss out on one of the many unbelievable treks in Darjeeling hills. There are routes offering stunning views of the mountains, forests and wildlife. There can be light treks over few days with 4-5 hours of walk a day that even casual walkers can undertake, or heavier treks for several days over mountain landscapes that offer fabulous experience. Where else in the world can you get a vista of four out of five highest peaks of the world in one stretch of snow, or get to see exotic rare animals like Red Panda, or view flowering plants like rhododendrons, magnolia, carpets of primula and over 600 varieties of orchids? I have been to such fascinating treks
Darjeeling Tea No discussion of Darjeeling is complete without a discussion on its Tea. After all this is what had originally placed Darjeeling into the world map. During my numerous trips, I have been to many tea gardens and estates in Darjeeling, seen the tea production processes, and had tasted tea at their outlets. Depending on the quality, Darjeeling Tea can range from Rs. 700/- a kg for regular black tea to well over 50,000/- a kg for white organic tea.
Places to Visit:
Singalila National Park Located at an altitude of approximately 2134 meters above sea level the Singalila National Park is situated in the highest regions of West Bengal. The park is known for its amazing peaks and the panoramic views of the lesser Himalayas. The National Park is famous as a trekker’s paradise with a large verity of mountainous vegetation, fauna, and birds. The wildlife includes rare and endangered species like the Red Panda, Black Bear, Leopard, Tigers, Clouded Leopard, Serow, Leopard Cat, Barking Deer, Yellow-throated Marten, Wild Boar, Pangolin and Takin.
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park Known for its famous Red Panda and Snow Leopard breeding program, the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park is spread in an area of 67.56 acres. The zoo is located at an average elevation of 2,134 meters above sea level and is the largest high altitude zoos in India. Some of the rare and endangered species in the zoo are snow leopards, red pandas, Himalayan Salamanders, Tibetan wolf, Himalayan mountain goat and Siberian tigers.
Tiger Hill One of the most famous peaks in Darjeeling can be reached either by jeep or by foot which transverses through some of the oldest tea plantations in Darjeeling. The place is best known as a trekking destination and its peaks offer some of the most marvelous views of the Kanchendzonga and the monolithic Mt. Everest.
Batasia Loop can be visited when the famous ‘Toy Train’ makes its way across a looped track that transverses through some beautiful parks. The place is famous for housing a Gorkha war memorial and while in the toy train you can witness a 360 degrees view of Darjeeling. The loop covers an area of 50,000 square feet and transverses spirally into tunnels, landscaped parks and hillocks in this 1,000 feet high descent. The local crafts market located nearby is a must visit.
Happy Valley Tea Estate Spread across a massive area of 437-acres, and situated at an elevation of 2,100 meters above sea level, the Happy Valley Tea Estate is one of the major tourist attractions in Darjeeling. The place is located amidst some of the most breath taking surroundings in India. It also houses one of the highest tea factory in the world and was established in 1854 by an Englishman and was later taken over by an Indian aristocracy from Hoogly.
Neora Valley National Park Spread across a massive 88 square kilometers, the Neora Valley National Park is one of the richest biological zones in the north-east. The Neora Valley National Park is famous for housing one of the largest populations of Red Panda in India. The park was established in 1986 and is a home to several endangered and rare species of flora and fauna.
Transport:
By Airways: Bagdogra Airport is the nearest air connection which is 96 kilometres away from Darjeeling. Many carriers like Air India, Jet Airways, Spice Jet, Indigo, Go Air run direct flights from Delhi, Guwahati and Kolkata to Darjeeling. Delhi and Kolkata airports are well-connected with international cities across the globe. Now, few international cities like Bangkok and Paro also have direct flights via Druk Air airlines. Once you reach at the airport, you can hire a taxi or share a cab to get to Darjeeling, which will take you around 3 hours.
By Train: The Darjeeling railway station is administered by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railways (DHR). The nearest railway station in Darjeeling is at New Jalpaiguri (62 kilometres from the main town) which connects major Indian cities like Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar and Cochin. The DHR Toy Train service starts at New Jalpaiguri and will get you to Darjeeling at a speed no faster than 30 miles per hour. It takes 7 hours and halts at Batasia Loop from where passengers can take photographic shots of Mt. Kanchenjunga.
By Bus: The regular bus service from Siliguri (which is approximately 70 kilometres away) to Darjeeling is quite slow but economical. Similar bus services are also available from neighbouring towns like Kurseong and Kalimpong which is 31 and 50 kilometres away respectively. Even Gangtok city runs daily buses to Darjeeling; however, we suggest taking a shared cab instead.
Map:
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